Chapter 3: Man with the Mechanical Arm
Author's Note: Another short chapter, I know…but still… another classic moment in Fullmetal so enjoy. And don't yell at me about Hedwig…. Thanks again for all the compliments, so please continue to review and I'll answer the questions when I can.
Okay, I know I haven't been around for a long time, but here is the next chapter, hope you enjoy, and given that there are few loop holes, i'll deal with them in time... this was originally meant to be written in the sixth year.. but I moved it forward without thinking and so... yeah.. .enjoy
()()()()()()
When Hermione returned to the infirmary the next morning, she was surprised to see Harry awake and talking. Hedwig was sitting in a hospital gown off in the corner, looking out the window. Snape was in a wooden chair right next to Harry and they were discussing what had happened. After Hermione's late night cram, she learned as much as the library had on Alchemy. She was hoping she could help Harry out with this. "Well, Harry, I try my hardest to get what you want." Snape stood up and turned around, only to glare at Hermione. She froze where she was, standing perfectly, still and holding her books close to her chest. He glided over to her and paused right next to her. "Be careful where you tread, Ms. Granger," Snape said softly, to her and only her. "You have caused him more pain than tens of thousands of transmutations that he preformed." The man walked out quietly, but Hermione didn't watch him, her eyes stayed on Harry.
"Hey, Harry," Hermione said meekly as she walked over to him. She had a small ashamed smile. In truth, she was sorry. In all her wisdom and knowledge, she never meant to hurt him. He looked up at her, and returned the smile. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," Harry replied. He saw her staring at his lack of a right arm. A blush ran over her face as she looked down.
"Not about that. Well, about that, but that's not what I meant when I said I was sorry. I am sorry that that you lost-" Hermione started to talk quickly, nervous about what she was doing. She had no clue how to handle this.
"Hermione, breathe," Harry said, and smiled when she glared at him. But that smile disappeared quickly when he turned away. Hermione watched as his eyes landed on Hedwig, the broken woman who just sat there staring out the window. "She can't feel it."
"Feel what?"
"Magic, her essence," Harry replied. Magical animals did have a connection to magic, but with the transmutation, it appears that Hedwig lost hers. "When she was… normal, it was always there. It was a part of her. Almost a sixth sense. Now…" he trailed off and looked down at the white sheets. He was hurting to see his friend like that. Hermione was hurting to see Harry as well.
"So is she human?" Harry shrugged. Hermione tried to hold back her surprise, but failed at it. Harry had done it… but clearly he didn't care. "I'm sorry that it failed, I know how much Sirius meant to you." He shrugged again, his eyes not moving off of Hedwig.
"I guess," Harry looked back at Hermione. "When Icarus got burned, his father was crushed. It hurt him more than the tortures he went through at Minos." He sighed deeply, then grimaced. The missing limbs still hurt even with Madame Pomfrey's pain killers. "Hedwig is my best friend, Hermione. She's my sister. And I've put her in this hell. Merlin knows that it has hurt me more than losing this leg has, and God knows that I am grateful that she is still alive. I was willing to give up more just so she was here with me, normal and happy." Hermione was hurt when he called Hedwig his best friend. Apparently five years of knowing a person meant nothing to him, but he was right. Her and Ron abandoned him, and left him alone to deal with his problems. They were selfish and Harry was paying the price. "But I will fix this."
"Harry," Hermione said softly, "I was hoping we could be friends again. These past couple months have hurt me a lot, and I'm sorry that I didn't realize how much they have hurt you too. I've been a prat-"
"No you haven't Hermione," Harry started, but she shook her head.
"Yes, I have. All I've done is ignore you because I thought that a relationship with one friend was enough to sacrifice another friend. I've been selfish, too, Harry." She wiped a tear away. "I've been jerk, a prat, worst of all, and I've been ignoring my friend in pain." Hermione shook her head. "Well, no more. I want to help now." She was happy to see Harry returning her smile.
"I'm glad that I have you as a friend." Harry said. "I'll have something for you to look at when I done today, but believe me, I'm glad that your back."
"Me too." Hedwig had come back from the window and sat next to Harry. "But if you hurt him again, so help me Gaia." Hermione smiled. She had Harry as a friend. It would a be a long road to rebuild his trust, but she would get that back too. Then things could be normal.
"You should be getting to class, Ms. Granger," Madam Pomfrey came out from her office. "You can speak with Harry tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, why not tonight?" Hermione asked, worry taking over her mind.
"I've just recived a letter from Professor Snape." She gave the old woman an odd look. "He is under going a special surgery today, and I need to prepare him for it." Hermione didn't like the sound of the surgery. Usually magic fixed everything and surgery wasn't needed. But then again, Harry' situation wasn't normal.
"Surgery?" Hedwig asked.
"Yes, I want you to leave too." The nurse said firmly.
"No, you can't take him from me, I'm all he has left." Hedwig was frantic, panicking even. She seemed worried about Harry more than Hermione was.
"Ms…" Madame Pomfrey trailed off, unsure of what to call him.
"Potter, I'm Harry's sister, Hedwig Janelle Potter." She blushed a bit at that, in truth, they looked nothing alike. Hedwig had long white hair, and was taller than Harry, build as well. She had perfect skin too. Harry was skinny and looked extremely pale right now. Hermione watched in amazement as the two women argued.
"I didn't know Harry had a sister?" The nurse said. "How old are you?"
"Madame Pomfrey," Professor Snape appeared. He was hold a large bag that hung behind his shoulders. "You will get your answers when they are needed. And since they are not, you shall prepare Harry for the surgery." The nurse glared at the Potion Master, but was ignored. "Ms. Granger, please take Ms. Potter to get some food and some better cloths." He waved his wand and the hospital robe changed into a pair of jeans and a blouse. "Now go." Hedwig tried to glare at him, but it didn't do anything. "You can come back after dinner if you are that worried about him. Now go." His voice left no room for argument.
Hedwig stood up slowly, apparently out of confusion on how to work her new legs more so than anything. Hermione moved to the woman's side and began to help her. As old as she looked, Hedwig was a child, a girl really. She would never suspect that someone so young was alive in this body. Hedwig didn't in the mood to talk about things, she and Hermione gave one final glance at Harry, smiling weakly and waving with his one good arm. Some things never changed.
------------------
The day dragged for Harry. They had prepared him since the morning, dressing his wounds again, and then waiting for the person to create the automail, a magical oddity. A mechanical creation that used magic as an energy source. The stronger a person was with magic, the stronger the automail was. And given Harry's strength with his saturated magic, his pure left almost nothing to the imagination. It was innate and untainted, and stronger than any Doctor Winry had seen before. She was a kind woman and worked quickly when she arrived at noon.
A special room was prepared for Harry. It was empty save a table for his new arm and leg and an operating table with straps. The patient couldn't be put under for this operation, so the room was silenced as well, hoping to drown out the screams that usually came with it. Every thing was set for them; the arm and leg were fully created, along with the connection ports. Now they were just going through the procedure with Harry. He had heard it three different times, and was tired of it. "I know what you are doing," Harry shouted, "And I don't care about the risks. Just let's get on with procedure." Severus sighed. He had tried to warn the child all the dangers, but Harry wasn't listening. He wanted this more than anything right now. The Boy-Who-Lived wanted to set everything right.
------------------
Doctor Winry was amazed to hear a silent boy as they slowly attached all his nerves in his arm and leg to the connection ports. "My, I'm surprised." She said. And Harry held back another scream; he was flailing about, but said nothing. "Most men scream like babies at this point, and we haven't even reached the hard part yet."
"I don't care about my pain," Harry said through gritted teeth. He was sweating buckets from sheer willpower and concentration. "Everything that I'm going through is nothing compared to what she is." He grunted against it, and flailed but the straps held him down.
Outside the slightly opened door, Hedwig sat there, crying as Harry had the surgery preformed on him. Crying for her loss and Harry's. If she was still an owl, she could have helped him. But in this useless body, there was nothing she could do.
------------------
Hermione hadn't seen Hedwig or Harry since the day before. After they had gotten some food, Hedwig disappeared, nearly falling in her new body. But she made it out of Great Hall okay, but Hermione was worried. Professor Snape hadn't allowed her back into the infirmary. He didn't allow her to look into the place. In fact, a makeshift infirmary was placed near Professor McGonagall's office, much to his chagrin. She was standing outside the gargoyle right now, playing with a handkerchief that Harry had left in the common room the night he walked away from them, from her. It was all she had besides her memories and his gifts.
"What are you doing here?" Ron had appeared out of nowhere. "I thought I told you to wait in McGonagall's room."
"You're not my boss, Ron," Hermione replied. He had become unruly when she had found out what happened to Harry and talk to him. Something had happened in the past few days that made her feel uncomfortable around her boy friend. Now, he was trying to control her and they argued more so than ever. "I just wanted to talk to McGonagall about seeing Harry." She still wasn't allowed back into the infirmary to see him, worry had wrought her heart since the night before.
"He doesn't care about us anymore," Ron countered, yelling at her. He reached for her arm and held tight. "He left us Hermione. And why are you even caring about him? He's not your boyfriend, I am!"
"Ron, let go, you're hurting me," Hermione pleaded. He had a strong grip.
"No, you listen to me." Ron continued. "I don't want you even to say the name Harry Potter
anymore. That bastard has all the fame he could want and I won't let him take you from me." He pressed himself
against her, pushing her to the wall. "How bout a kiss for your boyfriend? And maybe afterward you will finally
let me finish what I started three nights ago." Hermione was never that strong, and now, her strength failed her
more. Ron pushed down on her lips, she felt disgusted and dirty.
"I believe the lady said let go," someone said, pulling Ron off of her. Hermione's eyes were closed and she quickly pulled arms around her body, ready to curl into a ball. She wasn't one for public displays and the way Ron was forcing himself on her……
"Who do you think you are-" The sound of metal upon bone echoed through her ears just before a loud thump hit the floor.
"That'll teach you to be nice to a lady." Hermione's still couldn't open her eyes.
"Damn Harry, you sure hit him hard," it was Hedwig's voice. Slowly, she opened her eyes and found them looking into a pair of emeralds.
"I wanna know when he got fillings," Harry smiled at Hermione. She looked between him and Hedwig, who was back to her full armor. A helmet was being held underneath her arm, and a sword was strapped to her waist. She looked like she was ready to take down some villains old schools style.
"Probably had them for a while with the way he eats." Harry chuckled as he pulled a stunned Hermione to her feet. "You okay?" he asked, softly, fixing her hair with his left hand, his right holding hers.
Hermione gulped. Harry had his long black hair in a ponytail, some of the bangs falling around his eyes. He wore a red duster, and had a pair of white gloves on. He looked wonderful. "Umm…"
"I thinks she shell-shocked," Hedwig said, walking up to them.
"Maybe," Harry replied. "C'mon you wanted to talk to McGongall about something?"
"Yeah, umm…" She trailed off again, getting lost in Harry's eyes. "It was about you."
"Yeah, Madame Pomfrey refused to release me until she gave me a full diagnostic." He shrugged and smiled at her again. "But I'm doing better."
"Isn't it too soon to be up after your surgery?"
"Gaia knows I told him that, Hermione," Hedwig said, "but he just wouldn't listen. The boys too stubborn for his own good."
Hermione giggled. "Yeah, refuses to budge on anything." She paused and made it look like she was thinking, biting her lip softly and burrowing her brow. "Yeah, that's Harry definitely." The girls had a laugh at the expense of Harry, who was blushing bright red.
"I'm glad to see your mood has improved." McGongall came walking down the stairs to them. Ron began to stir and Harry gave a swift kick with left leg. The one that was missing. He was holding her hand in his right. Somehow he had his arm and leg back. Hermione wanted to ask her questions, but the Headmistress cut her off. "Ah, I see the surgery went well?"
"Yes, Professor," Harry replied, before moving to kick Ron again. Hedwig grabbed his arm and stopped him. She shook her head at him, yet held a smile.
"Be nice Harry," she said with a smile.
"I take it, Mr. Weasley had gotten too hands on?" Hermione nodded yes. "I was afraid of that. You won't be expelled Harry, so don't worry." She sighed, looking down at his other student. "But I can not, in good faith expel him either." Harry looked back at Ron, before nodding his response. He must have been resolved with that outcome the moment the fight happened. "You three must talk to him about this, after my conversation about attacking other students."
"How bout me and Hedwig take Hermione back to the dorms, Professor?" Harry asked, looking at the Headmaster. "Then we can discuss whets going to happen with the both of us." McGongall nodded and headed back to her office.
"C'mon, Hermione," Hedwig began to lead her back to the Gryffindor dorms. The owl-now-human asked her about her classes, and being polite, she quickly told her about them. But Hermione kept taking glances back at Harry. She was worried about him. The surgery had to be long and painful to get his limbs back, yet Harry wasn't showing any pain at all. "Don't worry about him, dear," Hedwig smiled as she turned to look at Harry. "It would hurt him more to see you worry about him."
"What happened?"
"He had a surgery, that's all," Hedwig let a tear roll down her face. "He was strong and silent through it all. Such a man"
"Your in pain too." Hermione replied.
"He's suffering for trying to find love." Hedwig shrugged. "He shouldn't have to. So when I get the chance, I'm going to fix it. That automail is going to be tough on his body."
"Not as tough as what is happening to you," Harry said from behind them. "You don't worry about me, Hedwig, I will get everything fixed. I promise you that."
"I've read about automail," Hermione said, biting her tongue. There were many horror stories about it from the books in the library. "Most people are out for weeks after words. The pain is compared to the Cruciatus Curse."
Harry shrugged. "A bit worse really." Hermione's jaw dropped; he was talking about it as if it was nothing. "But sometimes, you have to put yourself through it, when you know what you are going through isn't nothing compared to that of others." His eyes remained on Hedwig, and she immediately crossed the hall and hugged her brother.
"You are a sap, you know that," she said through her tears, before she pulled back and hit him on the shoulder. Hedwig was a full head taller than Harry, meaning two taller than Hermione, yet in this moment she seemed shorter. "A prat too, making me cry. Its hard to control these emotions." She pulled away and wiped the tears away.
"Part of being human."
"Part of being a woman." Hedwig corrected. She turned to Hermione. "Now, we are going to talk girl stuff. Gaia knows I've wanted to with you for a long time." Hedwig walked over to Hermione. "Harry you can go back."
"you sure, I'd feel better walking with you girls back to the Common Room."
"I'm sure, Harry," Hedwig was already leading Hermione away. "I'll take care of her for you." Hermione turned around and saw Harry blushing before he turned away. She didn't know why, but he seemed innocent again, as if the war never touched him. It was something so far from the truth that she nearly broke down in tears to watch it leave.
-->